Tourism policy
Tourism policy is an integral component of the German government's economic policy. The main principles, goals and instruments of Germany's tourism policy - both at the national level and in international forums - can be outlined as follows:
As in all economic sectors, the German government's central task in formulating and implementing its tourism policy is to boost entrepreneurial initiative and to enhance the competitiveness of tourism-related companies by continually fine-tuning the policy framework. This includes working together with the federal Länder and local governments to provide the necessary infrastructure for a successful tourism sector. In general, the Länder are responsible for the concrete planning, development and direct promotion of tourism.
The main economic policy areas through which the Federal Government has a formative influence on the tourism industry include tax policy, labour market policy and above all federal government policy on small and medium-sized businesses.
Government support measures that specifically benefit the tourism sector include federal funding for the German National Tourist Board and for projects to enhance the performance of the tourism industry.
The funding allocated to the German National Tourist Board is intended primarily to market Germany internationally as a holiday and travel destination. This type of marketing is necessary because - given the intensity of international competition - small-scale market participants in Germany are unable to perform this task entirely on their own. Funding for this purpose has steadily increased in recent years and amounted to approximately 26.3 million euros for the 2009 financial year.
Government funding to enhance the performance and competitiveness of the German tourism industry is used primarily to support advanced training programmes. This funding is also used to support projects that focus on market monitoring, quality enhancement for tourism products and services, and sales promotion. The primary aims here are to strengthen the performance of individual businesses and to foster environment-friendly practices in the tourism sector. Another key goal is to provide targeted support for the marketing of innovative products and projects (such as tours for children and adolescents; environmentally compatible forms of travel; and accessible tourism). In these efforts, a particular priority is placed on meeting the needs of the new federal states in eastern Germany.
Furthermore, the Federal Government's rural development policy also includes support for rural tourism. This support forms a key component of the government's agricultural policy, and as such falls within the remit of the Federal Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Consumer Protection. Within the framework of the "Joint Task to Improve Agricultural Structures and Coastal Protection" (i.e. operated jointly by the Federal and Länder governments), the Agriculture Ministry and the Länder carry out measures to help rural businesses invest in agrotourism and farm holidays, with the aim of diversifying rural income sources and strengthening rural economies.
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